Metal wall sections are commercially fabricated and delivered to construction sites for erection. Typically metal wall sections include upper and lower channel sections and a series of spaced apart metal studs extending between the upper and lower channel sections. In some cases, columns are provided about opposite end sections of the wall. Further, in some cases, the corner areas of the metal wall section are reinforced.
In many cases, it is advantageous to provide additional structure rigidity by incorporating one or more bridging members or by utilizing diagonal strapping. Diagonal straps provide rigidity to the wall section as a whole. When used in prefabricated modular wall sections these diagonal straps extend from opposed corners and cross about a center area of the wall section. Diagonal straps have applications in places other than in prefabricated wall sections. Diagonal straps are also used in conventional built-in-place modular walls.
One of the difficulties in providing prefabricated metal wall sections or conventional built-in-place metal walls with strapping is that it is difficult to effectively and efficiently tension the respective straps. First it is difficult to tension the straps manually using conventional tools. Even in cases where a great deal of care and patience is exercised, the straps are not typically fully tensioned, and accordingly, the metal wall, as a whole, lacks the desired rigidity.
Therefore, there has been and continues to be a need for an apparatus and method for efficiently and effectively tensioning and securing wall straps to sections of a metal wall.